Oscar i



0. l. STRAUB AND M, WILDRIC K.

BOMB 0R SUBMARINE MlNE.

, APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6. 1911;

Patented July 29, 1919.

Osazl' 1 35221127 31m g rim, 9 mi/1W 1* WW chamber 3, is a, tube OSCAR I. STRAUB A ND MEADE WILDRICK, OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

BOMB OR SUBMARIN'E MINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 29, 1919.

Application filed November 6, 1917. Serial No. 200,533.

To all, whom it may concern Be it known that we, OSCAR I. STRAUB and MEADE WILDRICK, both of the United States Army, citizens of the United States, stationed at Fort Adams and Fort Monroe, in the counties of Newport and Elizabeth City, and States of Rhode Island and Virrespectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bombs or Submarine Mines; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskil led in the art to which it appertain's, to make and use the same.

Our present invention relates to improvements in bombs for submarine mines which dropped from the stern are intended to be of a vessel, or from an air craft, and which is exploded when the bomb reaches a predetermined depth.

The bomb is intended especially for use against submarines, and is intended to carry a large quantity of high explosive.

Our invention will bemore fully-understood after reference to the accompanying are indithroughdrawings, in which similar parts cated by similar reference symbols out the several views, and in whic F gure 1 represents a complete bomb parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 shows a section through the firing arrangement, the parts being shown on a much larger scale than in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows an elongated projectile embodymg the invention.

-1 reprsentsa shell of spherical or other desired form, and provided with a partition 2 separating the interior of the shell into two chambers. The chamber 3- is filled with the high explosive, and the chamber 4 is provided with one or more openings closed by the safety stoppers 5. Projecting down through this chamber 4, andinto the 6 which is screwed into the partition 2, as at 7, and is closed at its lower end with a screw cap 8.

Supported on this cap 8 are the dry cells 10 WhlCh are contained in a chamber closed at its upper end by the partition 11, at

15, projecting from the center of which is the tube 16 which projects down through the partitionsrll and 12 and is closed at the bottom,.:as at 17. The said tube-has one. or more openings 18 above the partition 12. .At the lower end of the tube we provide electric circuit closers 19 connected to the electric primers 20, which are connected to the dry cells 10.

The upper end of the tube 16 is internally screw-threaded, as at 21, to receive the hollow stem 22.which is provided with a series of perforations 23, and is graduated, as at 24, to indicate the depth at which the bomb is intended to operate. This stem is provided with hand lugs for convenience in turning same. Inside of the hollow stem 22 we provide absorbent material 26, such as felt, wool, or the like, through which water percolates. j

The operation of the device is as follows When in the safety position the stem should be screwed home, and the safety stoppers should be in place, as shown in Fig. 2. When it is desired to launch the bomb turn the stem until the proper depth is indicated on the scale, then remove the stoppers 5 and drop the bomb overboard.

's itpasses beneath the surface of the sea, water will flow into the chamber 4 and will pass through the openings 14 and 18, and, entering the openings 23, the absorbent material mately fill the chamber the tube 16.

When this chamber becomes sufliciently full of water, ordinarily salt water, to complete the circuitthrough the circuit closers 19, the electric primers 20 will be ignited and the bomb will be exploded.

It will .be noted that the farther up the stem is raised the more rapid will be the flow of water through the absorbent material 26, and the sooner will the electric circuit be closed. The stem is calibrated after'the necessary experiments are made to determine the rate of flow ofthe water through the absorbent material corresponding to the position of the stem and the pressure of the water at various depths.

It will be seen that as long stoppers 5 are kept tightly. closed no water cap flow in, and the apparatus is absolutely sa e.

In the; structure shown in Fig. 3, the

will flow. through i as the safety I elongated projectile may either be flat nosed, as shown in full lines, or its nose may be pointed as shown in dotted lines.

It will be obvious that various changes might be made in the herein described apparatus, and in the construction, combmation and arrangement of parts which could be used without departing from the spirit of our invention.

Having thus described our invention what we claim and desire to secure by .Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a bomb, the combination with a shell provided with a main chamber adapted to contain high explosive material, and a water chamber separable by a partition wall from said main chamber, and provided with one or more water inlets opening outward therefrom, with removable stoppers closing said inlet s, of firing mechanism for said bomb comprising a tube closed at its lower end and passing through said shell, and carrying a bursting charge, an electric battery, an electric primer connected thereto and inclosed in said bursting charge, an inner tube having a flanged head screwed into the upper end of said first-mentioned tube, both of saidtubes bein provided with one or more ports to admit water from said water chamber, a circuit closer mounted in said inner tube and connected to said primer, and an adjustable hollow stem provided with a series of perforations, s'lidably mounted in said'inner tube, and controlling the flow of Water through the ports therein, substantially as described.

' 2. In a bomb, the combination with a shell provided with a main chamber adapted to contain highexplosive material, and a water chamber separable by a partition wall from saidmain chamber, and provided with one or more water inlets opening outward therefrom, with'removable stoppers closing said inlets, of firing mechanism for said bomb comprising a tube closed at its lower end and passing through said shell, and carrying a burstlng chargeaan electric battery, an electric primer connected thereto and inclosed in said bursting charge, an inner tube having a flanged head screwed into the upper end of said first-mentioned tube, both of said tubes being provided with one or more ports to admit water from said water chamber, a circuit closer mounted in said inner tube and connected to said primer, and an adjustable hollow stem provided with a series of perforations, slidably mounted in said inner tube, and controlling the flow ofv water through the ports therein, with porous absorbent material mounted in said stem, substantially as described.

- 3. In a bomb, the combination with a shell manger provided with a main chamber adapted to contain high explosive material, and a water chamber separable by a partition wall from said main chamber, and provided with one or more water inlets opening outward therefrom, with removable stopperstclosmg said inlets, of firing mechanism for said bomb comprising a tube closed at its lower end and passing through said shell, and carrying a bursting charge, an electric battery, an electric primer connected thereto and 1nclosed in said bursting charge, an inner tube having a flanged head screwed into the upper end of said first-mentioned tube, both of said tubes being provided with one or more ports to admit water from said water chamber, a circuit closer mounted in said inner tube and connected to said primer, said inner tube being internally screwthreaded near its upper end, and a perforated hollow stem closed at the top and provided with screw threads engaging those on the inner tube, whereby said stem may be adjusted longitudinally, the said stem being provided with a series of perforations adapted to control the flow of water through the ports in the inner tube, substantially as described. a

d. In a bomb, the combination with a shell provided with a main chamber adapted to contain high explosive material, and a water chamber separable by a vpartition wall from said main chamber, and provided with one or more water inlets opening outward therefrom, with removable stoppers closing said inlets, of firing mechanism for said bomb comprising a tube closed at its lower end and passing through said shell, and carrying a bursting charge, an electric battery, an electric primer connected thereto and inclosed in said bursting charge, an inner tube having a flanged head screwed into the upper end of said first-mentioned tube, both of said tubes being provided with one or more ports to admit water from said water chamher, a circuit closer mounted in said inner tube and connected to said primer, said inner tube being internally screwthreaded near its "upper end, and a perforated hollow stem closed at the top and provided with screw threads engaging those on the inner tube, whereby said stem may be adjusted longitudinally, the said stem being provided with a series of perforations adapted to control the flow of water through the ports in the inner tube, with porous absorbent material mounted in said stem abreast of said perforations, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, we aflig: our signatures.

OSCAR I. STRAUB. MEADE WILDRICK. 

